He added that he has a natural affinity for politics. In high school, he was voted Student Government Association president, and the thrill of the legislative process never waned. Others outside his district have taken notice. Last December, the Miami-based gay-rights group SAVE gave Jones a Luminary Award, which honors local, young professionals for leadership and contributions in the LGBT community. Last summer, the Broward Urban League honored him with its Humanitarian Award. Also, the Florida Credit Union Association, an affiliate of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates (LSCU), recently named Jones as its 2017 State Lawmaker of the Year for his support of credit union initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a release announcing the award, the LSCU president hailed Jones for being \u201caccessible\u201d to credit union advocates. \u201cRepresentative Jones has served credit unions in Florida as a true champion,\u201d said Patrick La Pine, president\/CEO of the LSCU. \u201cHe has sponsored legislation to include credit unions in an exemption under the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act and understands the critical role that credit unions play in Florida\u2019s economy and in serving Floridians throughout the state.\u201d Even as the current session in Tallahassee reaches its peak, Jones already has ideas for his priorities for 2019.
Among his goals: getting state investment dollars to create economic zones in Black communities; funding to keep Black professionals in Florida, instead of the continual brain drain to cities such as Atlanta; and pursuing adequate funding for public schools. \u201cWe\u2019re still missing the mark on how we fund our schools, how we upkeep our schools and how we support our teachers,\u201d Jones said.
To get the ball rolling, Jones said he will work with GOP colleagues on possible strategies. He plans to sit down this summer with fellow South Florida Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives. Leonard, the chief of staff , said Jones\u2019 personable manner and advocacy work make him a favorite of residents outside of his district. \u201cHe\u2019s big on constituency issues, and he\u2019s in the community doing so much,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much he's willing to do to help people. They think we\u2019re superman.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"An advocate for the common man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"an-advocate-for-the-common-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dreamersnextgen.live-website.com\/?p=719","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"total_page":false},"paged":1,"class":"jblog_block_24"};
\u201cHe always told us that old Black saying \u2018if you\u2019re not at the table, you\u2019re on the menu,\u2019\u201d Jones said. \u201cI wanted a seat at the table.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
He added that he has a natural affinity for politics. In high school, he was voted Student Government Association president, and the thrill of the legislative process never waned. Others outside his district have taken notice. Last December, the Miami-based gay-rights group SAVE gave Jones a Luminary Award, which honors local, young professionals for leadership and contributions in the LGBT community. Last summer, the Broward Urban League honored him with its Humanitarian Award. Also, the Florida Credit Union Association, an affiliate of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates (LSCU), recently named Jones as its 2017 State Lawmaker of the Year for his support of credit union initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a release announcing the award, the LSCU president hailed Jones for being \u201caccessible\u201d to credit union advocates. \u201cRepresentative Jones has served credit unions in Florida as a true champion,\u201d said Patrick La Pine, president\/CEO of the LSCU. \u201cHe has sponsored legislation to include credit unions in an exemption under the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act and understands the critical role that credit unions play in Florida\u2019s economy and in serving Floridians throughout the state.\u201d Even as the current session in Tallahassee reaches its peak, Jones already has ideas for his priorities for 2019.
Among his goals: getting state investment dollars to create economic zones in Black communities; funding to keep Black professionals in Florida, instead of the continual brain drain to cities such as Atlanta; and pursuing adequate funding for public schools. \u201cWe\u2019re still missing the mark on how we fund our schools, how we upkeep our schools and how we support our teachers,\u201d Jones said.
To get the ball rolling, Jones said he will work with GOP colleagues on possible strategies. He plans to sit down this summer with fellow South Florida Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives. Leonard, the chief of staff , said Jones\u2019 personable manner and advocacy work make him a favorite of residents outside of his district. \u201cHe\u2019s big on constituency issues, and he\u2019s in the community doing so much,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much he's willing to do to help people. They think we\u2019re superman.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"An advocate for the common man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"an-advocate-for-the-common-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dreamersnextgen.live-website.com\/?p=719","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"total_page":false},"paged":1,"class":"jblog_block_24"};
The day students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and other schools flooded the state Capitol, Rep. Shevrin Jones darted back and forth from meetings with lawmakers to greet constituents. Many of the students weren\u2019t from his legislative District 101. But friends say that is just who he is \u2014 a caring millennial lawmaker and advocate for the common man and woman. \u201cHe cares so much about people. Sometimes he puts himself on the back burner. He\u2019s a very selfless man,\u201d said Jerrick Leonard, his chief of staff.
Jones, a Democrat from West Park, is in his third two-year term in the Florida House of Representatives. In that time, he has taken up some of the hot-button issues of particular interest in the Black community. In the last year, 33-year-old Jones became the face and voice for the Confederate monument protests. He led noon protests at Hollywood City Hall, and appeared on public a airs television shows to voice frustrations of a community. This session, he\u2019s leading the charge to repeal the state\u2019s controversial Stand Your Ground law.
Jones\u2019 activism comes easily. He recalls from his years in middle school having dinner table conversations about current affairs with his father, Rev. Eric Jones, the mayor of West Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe always told us that old Black saying \u2018if you\u2019re not at the table, you\u2019re on the menu,\u2019\u201d Jones said. \u201cI wanted a seat at the table.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
He added that he has a natural affinity for politics. In high school, he was voted Student Government Association president, and the thrill of the legislative process never waned. Others outside his district have taken notice. Last December, the Miami-based gay-rights group SAVE gave Jones a Luminary Award, which honors local, young professionals for leadership and contributions in the LGBT community. Last summer, the Broward Urban League honored him with its Humanitarian Award. Also, the Florida Credit Union Association, an affiliate of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates (LSCU), recently named Jones as its 2017 State Lawmaker of the Year for his support of credit union initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a release announcing the award, the LSCU president hailed Jones for being \u201caccessible\u201d to credit union advocates. \u201cRepresentative Jones has served credit unions in Florida as a true champion,\u201d said Patrick La Pine, president\/CEO of the LSCU. \u201cHe has sponsored legislation to include credit unions in an exemption under the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act and understands the critical role that credit unions play in Florida\u2019s economy and in serving Floridians throughout the state.\u201d Even as the current session in Tallahassee reaches its peak, Jones already has ideas for his priorities for 2019.
Among his goals: getting state investment dollars to create economic zones in Black communities; funding to keep Black professionals in Florida, instead of the continual brain drain to cities such as Atlanta; and pursuing adequate funding for public schools. \u201cWe\u2019re still missing the mark on how we fund our schools, how we upkeep our schools and how we support our teachers,\u201d Jones said.
To get the ball rolling, Jones said he will work with GOP colleagues on possible strategies. He plans to sit down this summer with fellow South Florida Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives. Leonard, the chief of staff , said Jones\u2019 personable manner and advocacy work make him a favorite of residents outside of his district. \u201cHe\u2019s big on constituency issues, and he\u2019s in the community doing so much,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much he's willing to do to help people. They think we\u2019re superman.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"An advocate for the common man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"an-advocate-for-the-common-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-04 17:03:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dreamersnextgen.live-website.com\/?p=719","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"total_page":false},"paged":1,"class":"jblog_block_24"};
